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In honour of National Science Day on 28 February, we’re putting PETA India and our international affiliates under the microscope to see how they are modernising science in India and around the world. Here are the top seven ways:

To show schools how effective non-animal training tools are, PETA India held a national veterinary training workshop for veterinary professors and a medical training workshop for people in the medical field. Nearly 500 teachers from 120 medical schools attended our continuing medical education workshop series, which included lectures and demonstrations of modern, effective and economical humane-education methods that can be used in Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (or “MBBS”) curricula.

Thanks to PETA India and others, 70 beagles who were imported from China by Advinus Therapeutics Ltd, a pharmaceutical laboratory in Bangalore, were rescued and taken to animal-protection groups for adoption.

6. Halting Animal Experiments at the IRIS Science Fair

After speaking with PETA India, the Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science (IRIS) and Intel Technology India Pvt Ltd banned animal experiments from the IRIS National Fair. Now, students can compete compassionately in India’s largest student science contest.

7. Holding Free Webinars on Animal-Friendly Testing Methods

The PETA International Science Consortium, Ltd, and Chemical Watch hold free webinars focusing on non-animal testing methods and strategies. These webinars help industry toxicologists, those registering chemicals for the first time and companies that would like to know more about validated non-animal tests that are available now and how other businesses are using them.

A look at the barbaric ways in which minks are killed and skinned at countless fur farms around the world.

All around the world at fur farms like this one, minks – as well as rabbits, foxes and other animals – are crammed into barren cages and have the skin ripped off their bodies, all just to make fur coats, collars and trinkets. Fur farmers use the cheapest killing methods available to them, including suffocation, electrocution, poison and gas. At this farm, minks are picked up by their sensitive tails and shoved into a box to be gassed. One mink in this video – like many animals killed for their fur – doesn’t die immediately. The farmer then tried to break his neck against the side of his crude wooden “kill box”.

The fur industry would have you believe that fashion justifies such torture, but there’s never any excuse for such barbaric treatment of animals. The farmer in this video casually described the techniques for ripping the bloody pelts off minks’ bodies, snapping the animals’ penis bones and using old pruning shears to cut off their paws.

Do you have friends or family members who still think that fur is in fashion? Remind them that in some countries, even cats and dogs are skinned alive for their fur, which is often then mislabelled and sold to unsuspecting consumers in countries all over the world.

Share this video, and encourage them to choose only animal-friendly clothing.

Clothing company Mimi & Maggie are known for feminine, playful designs and have now added compassion to their list of inspirations, teaming up with PETA for this year’s India Kids Fashion Week (IKFW).

Mimi & Maggie dedicated their spring show to PETA’s campaign against circus cruelty and pulled out all the stops to make an ethical fashion statement. During their show, a clown took to the stage holding a placard reading, “I Choose to Perform, Animals Don’t. Say No to Animal Circuses”.

Did you know that just one unsterilised female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in only six years? In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce 370,000 kittens. Sterilisation eliminates the stress and discomfort that females endure during heat periods and greatly reduces the risk of developing mammary cancer. Neutering makes males far less likely to roam or fight.

World Spay Day is 24 February. “Spaying” is the sterilisation of female animals, while “neutering” is the sterilisation of male animals.

The following celebrities are among those who support PETA’s campaign to promote the adoption of homeless cats or dogs from the streets or animal shelters, our pro-sterilisation efforts or both:

India Kids Fashion Week (IKFW) is a playground of creativity and fun, and this year, there’s a bold fashion statement being made – that compassion for animals is always in style. IKFW and PETA launched their joint “Animals Love Kind Kids” campaign at the Mumbai shows on 20 and 21 February 2015, and guests got to scope out the hottest looks in kids’ fashion and learn how to be kind to animals.

At PETA’s IKFW stall, kids got a cool “Animals Love Kind Kids” hand stamp, signed PETA’s “Kind Kids” pledge board with a colourful handprint and personal message and posed with PETA’s costumed “elephant”, who held a placard reading, “Circuses Are No Fun for Animals”. But that’s not all: each kid also received a balloon that read, “I Am Kind to Animals”, for all to see.

What You Can Do

You can help bring the animal rights message to your child’s classroom with PETA’s humane-education programme, Compassionate Citizen. Simply e-mail PETA’s senior education coordinator at PujaM@petaindia.org to get your free copy of the Compassionate Citizen education pack to share with your child’s teacher.

Corniche at the Waterfront, located on Carter Road in Mumbai, is known for its global fare, seaside location and lively ambiance, but it’s also gaining a reputation as the go-to hot spot for vegans and people who simply want to try vegan food.

Besides hosting Neha Dhupia’s launch of PETA’s V-Card – India’s first-ever vegan savings card, in association with Burrp! – Corniche has joined the party with its very own V-Card menu.

All you have to do to save 10 per cent on healthy, decadent food like Corniche’s new arugula, tofu and sun-dried tomato sandwich is order your free PETA V-Card. Simply present your V-Card when you order at participating Mumbai restaurants, and up to four people at your table will save cash and animals.

Soon you’ll be gazing at the view while noshing on Corniche’s pickled vegetable crostini, mushroom roesti or refried bean nachos with corn salsa. Cool down with the watermelon and arugula salad or warm up with the burnt garlic consommé before going “around the world” via globally inspired entrées.

Italian fans can get their fix with an array of pastas and risottos with chilli and bell pepper or fresh tomato and grilled vegetables. Head over to France with Corniche’s tofu pumpkin stack with roasted vegetable brochettes. Then come back to Asia with Thai and Indonesian curries or tofu wraps with pan-seared chilli noodles. Is your mouth watering yet?

This delectable deal is only available until 30 April 2015, so don’t miss the chance to dine seaside – cruelty-free.

So he’s funny, cute and tattooed – or she’s sweet, smart and all-around wonderful. Sounds like the perfect significant other, right? Oh, wait – your crush eats meat! Don’t give up just yet. The following are 14 reasons why YOU should date a meat-eater:

1. Everyone loves a challenge.

Don’t call it quits. Remember: you used to eat meat, too, so be patient with your crush and help him or her go vegan. Be sure to appreciate every little thing he or she does to help animals and make you happy.

As an all-day café, Under the Banyan Tree knows how to keep Mumbaikars fed and happy from morning to night.

Now vegans and non-vegans alike can enjoy dining in an enchanting environment while helping the environment, thanks to Under the Banyan Tree’s new plant-based menu for PETA’s V-Card programme, India’s first-ever vegan savings card – in association with Burrp! – which scores members a 10 per cent discount.

Under the Banyan Tree’s new cruelty-free menu has so many scrumptious options that you might drool as you’re reading it. From vegetable soups to refreshing salads to an entire section devoted to potatoes (don’t miss the paprika ranch fries and chilli straw potatoes), choosing a snack won’t be an issue. The café’s finger-food menu includes a variety of bruschetta, a mezze platter and even baked beans on toast.

Need more fuel for your engine? No problem. Under the Banyan Tree serves up healthy and tasty wraps filled with pesto-marinated roasted veggies, mushrooms and broccoli or falafel. For sandwich fans, be sure to try The Bombay Club – you won’t be sorry. If you’re in the mood for tofu, Under the Banyan Tree’s grilled tofu served with herb rice and peanut sauce is absolutely brilliant. The café also serves up pasta with ample choices of sauces and toppings, such as fettuccine arrabbiata with zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes.

This delectable deal is available until 30 April 2015, so don’t miss the chance to dine al fresco – and cruelty-free. Help us show Under the Banyan Tree that the demand for healthy vegan food is strong and growing by eating there often and thanking the staff for offering tasty, animal-friendly cuisine.

Be sure to order your free PETA V-Card to cash in on all the plant-powered savings. PETA’s V-Card will save you 10 per cent on compassionate cuisine. Simply present your V-Card when you order at participating Mumbai restaurants, and up to four people at your table will receive the discount, saving cash and animals.

Valentine’s Day is all about making your dearest feel adored, but sometimes doing that in a thoughtful way can be tricky. Fear not – we’ve got the following stellar ideas on how to make your special someone feel extra-loved without harming animals:

1. Make your sweetheart vegan chocolates. Nothing says, “I love you”, like homemade vegan chocolates. Deliciously irresistible, dairy-free and easy to make, these treats will melt your darling’s heart. All you need is a mould, some vegan chocolate and almond milk. Get creative and jazz it up with a few of his or her favourite ingredients, like nuts or dried fruit.

2. Bring your beloved vegan iced coffee in bed. Who doesn’t love treats in bed? Help your sweetie start the day with a spark by bringing him or her Café Coffee Day’s vegan coffee shake in bed.

3. Pamper your partner with Body Shop goodies. Make your beau feel like royalty with The Body Shop’s luxurious and cruelty-free gift sets. We can’t get enough of the personalised ones for special pampering.

4. Deck out your honey in PETA gear. Spoil your vegan other half with PETA’s vegan T-shirt as a compassionate token of your affection. Learn how to get one by writing to JalajK@petaindia.org.

5. Give the gift that keeps on giving. Let your lover know that you care about his or her health, animals and the environment by giving him or her a PETA V-Card, India’s first-ever free vegan savings card that entitles holders to a 10 per cent discount on delicious, cruelty-free food from a sensational list of participating restaurants.

It’s no secret that the way angora wool sweaters are made would cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end. But now those same garments are helping to bring some comfort to Syrian refugees who are facing a frigid winter in makeshift tents in Lebanon.

Following talks with PETA US, Inditex, the world’s largest clothing retailer, agreed to ban angora wool products permanently – and donate its remaining stock to Syrian refugees through the charity Life for Relief and Development, rather than profiting from the garments.

The multinational company, which owns the popular brand Zara as well as Pull & Bear, Bershka and others, is sending 20,000 brand-new angora sweaters, coats and other garments – worth nearly 900,000 US dollars – to Syrian refugees in Lebanon in order to help bring a little warmth to those in dire need while also sending a vital message about compassion for animals this winter: only people in desperate need of basic necessities have any excuse for wearing fur that is ripped from live animals’ bodies.

In a statement, Life for Relief and Development’s chief operating officer said, “Thanks to PETA and Inditex – this generous donation goes a long way to help ease the suffering of the refugees who have lost so much”.

Inditex is in good company. After a PETA Asia eyewitness investigation revealed that rabbits on angora farms in China scream and writhe in pain as workers tear the fur out of their skin, retailers all over the world – including Calvin Klein, H&M and Zappos – stopped selling angora products. As Inditex’s compassionate action shows, with so many other options available, only those who are truly struggling have any excuse for wearing fur, wool or skins.